I’d like to thank the folks at Garrison Brothers for providing this review sample with no strings attached.
It's a sad day in our house today, as yesterday we said goodbye to one of our favorite client pups. She’s been dealing with cancer for a while now, and though we all knew it was just a matter of time, you always hope for more time than you end up getting.
Ruby was a hell of a girl. She was a corgi mix that looked almost nothing like a corgi. Her hair was short and coarse, her legs were long, and, honestly, she looked a little weird. But she was the coolest pup. She was an old lady that had zero fucks to give anymore. If bigger dogs were playing where she wanted to sleep, she just jumped down, limped over to her preferred spot, and plopped down. If she wanted to be in your lap, she just pushed her way in, no matter who, or if anyone, was already there. But the younger pups gave her a ton of respect, so they’d moved their play somewhere else. In fact, over this past weekend, two of those playful, bouncy pups made sure she was doing ok by giving her face kisses during breaks in play.
I absolutely adore Ruby, as did everyone else who met her, and I will miss her terribly. I cried ugly tears for about a half hour after she left when her owner told me that it was probably going to be this week. She’s the type of pup you never want to see go, but when they do, you want to raise a glass of something good to their memory.
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Garrison Brothers is a craft distillery located in the Texas Hill Country. They were the first legal distillery in Texas history and opened their doors in 2010, about a year before I started writing articles that would eventually become this blog. I’ve seen their work plenty of times in the liquor stores I visit, though I’ve only ever tried one of their bourbons. They sent me a sample of the monster of a drink, the 2023 Cowboy Bourbon release. It was very good but very hot. And pretty darn expensive.
The price is the main reason I haven’t tried much of their work. It’s hard to take a flyer on something that starts in price at $90 at my local Total Wine. But I happily accept samples they send. Not only does it help me decide if I want to spend money, but hopefully it helps you decide the same thing.
Tonight’s sample, the 2024 Guadalupe release was aged for four years in the hot Texas climate before being transfered to port barrels for an additional two years. The whiskey was made with a sweet mash of barley, soft red winter wheat, and number one food grade corn, all from Texas. This release is Texas all the way through. Even the water they proofed with was raiwater captured at the distillery.
So let’s see how it tastes.
Garrison Brothers Guadalupe 2024
Purchase Info: This sample was sent by the producer for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $149.99 for a 750 mL bottle.
Price per Drink (50 mL): $10.00
Details: 53.5% ABV. Four-year-old bourbon finished for two years in tawny port barrels.
Nose: Maple, toffee, cinnamon, and dried fruits.
Mouth: Sweet and hot with notes of toffee, cinnamon, red fruits, and oak.
Finish: Long and warm with notes of maple, toffee, cornbread, dried fruit, and vanilla.
Thoughts: This is delicious. It has a thick, rich mouthfeel and is super sweet. And the flavor is great. I like the layers of sweetness paired with the spiciness. If you are looking for a “dessert” bourbon, this is a good choice. I really like this one.
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